Thread by @lennysan

How do people discover new products? I posit there are seven ways. A thread 🧵

1. Friends or colleagues tell you about it

At a party, at your home, at the office, over email, etc. Generally, this is free and very organic (e.g., “I LOVE my new spatula, check it out!”), but it can also be incentivized through a referral program or even an MLM program.

2. You come across it organically while browsing online

The next best (aka cheapest) way to learn of new products. e.g. Seeing a social media post, press, influencers organically sharing it, comments in a forum, Wirecutter, organic search results, etc.

3. You come across a promotion while browsing online

Companies like Wish, Casper, Calm, Blue Apron, and Hims grew primarily through this channel—ads (e.g., Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube), paid influencers, affiliate programs, and channel partners.
vimeo.com/183867108

4. You come across it organically while you’re out and about

Noticing a new cereal on the shelf, seeing a Tesla drive by, peeping a Peloton sitting in a friend’s home, etc.

5. You come across a promotion while you’re out and about

This is the classic “out-of-home” (OOH) marketing channel: billboards, bus ads, taxi ads, backs of trucks, flyers, etc. You pay to get your advertisement in front of people who spend time around a specific location.

6. You come across a promotion while at home

When you think of in-home advertising, you probably think of TV ads, but there’s so much more: direct mail, ads on the packaging itself, flyers inside packaging, radio ads, podcast ads, newspaper and magazine ads.

7. Someone reaching out to you

Finally, there’s outbound sales—someone coming to you to tell you about their product. This can be over the phone, email, DM, LinkedIn message, or door-to-door.

For tons more on how people discover new products, including guidance as to which channel is worth your time, don't miss today's post 👇
lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-people-d…